http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-gaston-county-animal-control​

 http://video.onset.freedom.com/gaston/l2ezxz-countypdf.pdf

Mahatma Gandhi said, "A greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." Is there a greater barometer on the moral progress of a nation than that? Killing an animal should never be a matter of convenience like throwing out the trash. There should be no difference in killing an animal as it would be killing a human being. They are a sentient being, and unlike human beings, are innocent beings and should be accorded the same or even more resistance to killing them. Their existence lies in our hands which means that we have a moral obligation to support and defend their lives to an even greater extent and to do it with the utmost compassion. Anything less would be not just a moral deficiency but extremely inhumane. It doesn�t take much to do the right thing. Do the right thing for your country, your children and for future generations to come.

CAN YOU IMAGINE BEING THROWN INTO A HUGE METAL BOX WITH A HALF DOZEN OF OTHER FOLKS, JUST THROWN IN ON TOP OF ONE ANOTHER AND HAVING THE LID CLOSED.  IN TOTAL DARKNESS YOU'RE SCARED AND YOU CAN HEAR THE WHIMPERING AND CRYING OUT OF THE OTHERS IN THE BOX.  "WHAT IS GOING ON ?, WHY ARE WE IN HERE?".  THEN  YOU ALL START TO COUGH AND CHOKE, THERE IS NO AIR TO BREATHE, YOUR LUNGS FEEL LIKE THEY WILL BURST ANY SECOND.  YOUR EYES AND NOSE ARE RUNNING AND YOU LOSE CONTROL OF ALL BODILY FUNCTIONS.  THE STENCH IS UNBEARABLE AND THE SCREAMS AND CRIES ARE EAR SHATTERING.  THEN IT STARTS TO GET QUIET, ONE BY ONE THE OTHERS STOP THEIR WIMPERING AND THOUGH DISORIENTED AND UNABLE TO MOVE YOU TRY TO MAKE SENSE OF WHAT IS GOING ON.....AND THEN THERE IS LIGHT, THE LID COMES UP AND HOPE RISES THAT WHATEVER HAPPENED IS ALL OVER AND IT'S TIME TO GET OUT OF HERE.  BEFORE YOU CAN GET ORIENTED AND FIGURE OUT WHAT TOOK PLACE, ANOTHER SIX SQUIRMING AND WHIMPERING LIVE BODIES ARE TOSSED INTO THE BOX ON TOP OF YOU, THE LID CLOSES AGAIN AND THE HORROR CONTINUES.  YOU'RE BARELY CONSCIOUS AND LOSE TRACK OF HOW MANY TIMES THIS PROCEDURE WAS PERFORMED BEFORE YOU FIND YOURSELF OUT IN THE LIGHT BEING STUFFED IN A HUGE PLASTIC BAG AND DISPOSED OF AT THE DUMP.  YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE NOISE, PLEADING THAT SOMEONE WILL REALIZE THAT YOU ARE STILL ALIVE BUT YOU CAN'T.
YOU'RE TOO WEAK AND SUFFER NEUROLOGICAL DAMAGE FROM THE GAS.
EVENTUALLY YOU DIE, SUFFERING TERRIBLY AMIDST A PILE OF DEAD BODIES.....AND YOUR LAST THOUGHT IS WHAT DID WE DO TO DESERVE THIS ?
THE ANSWER IS NOTHING..........YOU DID NOTHING WRONG.  YOU'RE PAYING FOR THE SELFISHNESS AND IRRESPONIBILITY OR HUMANS.
EVERY YEAR COUNTLESS INNOCENT ANIMALS ARE PUT DOWN IN THIS CRUEL MANNER AND THEY SUFFER UNBELIEVABLE TORTURE.....THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE AND WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE LAWS.
AS AN ARMY VETERAN I HAVE BEEN THROUGH A GAS CHAMBER ON A DOZEN DIFFERENT OCCASIONS.  AS REGULAR TRAINING WE WERE REQUIRED TO STAY IN THE CHAMBER LONG ENOUGH TO SAY OUR NAME, RANK AND SERIAL NUMBER.........A TOTAL OF ABOUT 5 SECONDS.  WE CAME OUT OF THAT CHAMBER VOMITTING, EVERY ORIFICE SPEWING FLUIDS.  OUR SKIN, EVERY PORE IN OUR BODY BURNED.  EVERY ONE OF US GAGGED AND CHOKED AND THOUGHT WE WOULD DIE......THE EFFECTS OF THIS LASTED FOR WHAT SEEMED LIKE FOREVER, AND WE THOUGHT THE SUFFERING WOULD NEVER STOP.  THIS WAS 5 SECONDS AND WAS UNBEARABLE....THE GAS CHAMBER WAS MY BIGGEST FEAR WHILE SERVING MY COUNTRY.
THE ANIMALS DON'T ALWAYS DIE FROM THE GAS, I KNOW PERSONALLY OF SEVERAL CASES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE FOUND LIVE DOGS IN THE BAGS AT THE DUMP.  THESE DOGS ARE ALWAYS PERMANENTLY DISABLED FROM THE EFFECTS OF THE GAS.  ALL ANIMALS DESERVE MORE THAN THIS AND WE AS CARETAKERS OWE THEM MORE.  PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO SIGN THIS PETITION AND HELP CHANGE THE EUTHANASIA LAWS IN GASTON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA AND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

Statistics: Gaston County, North Carolina gasses to death more animals than any other county in North Carolina. Last year, nearly 7,300 animals were gassed to death in groups at Gaston County Animal Control.

PLEASE WATCH THE VIDEO. IT IS A REAL GAS CHAMBER IN NORTH CAROLINA-LISTEN HOW IT SOUNDS WHEN ANIMAL CONTROL EMPLOYEES TURN ON THE GAS. THIS IS A REAL VIDEO. THE SOUNDS ARE REAL. THIS IS WHAT IS LEGAL IN NORTH CAROLINA-WHICH WAS BANNED IN 13 STATES DUE TO ANIMAL CRUELTY. 

American Humane recently commissioned a study comparing the cost of EBI (euthanasia by injection)  and gas chambers that proves EBI is less costly to communities. Using data from an animal sheltering organization, the study shows that the cost to use carbon monoxide poisoning is $4.98 per animal. The cost to use EBI, however, is only $2.29 per animal.  Gas chambers also pose a danger to employees (gas leaks do happen).

DOWNLOAD COST STUDY HERE:

http://www.americanhumane.org/assets/docs/advocacy/ADV-co-ebi-cost-analysis09.pdf

DANGER OF GAS CHAMBERS TO EMPLOYEES AND YOUR LEGAL LIABILITIES:

Carbon monoxide poses a danger to humans because it is colorless, tasteless, odorless, and highly explosive. A gas chamber must be constantly checked and maintained to ensure no cracks in the structure or failing seals. .When carbon dioxide is released in a confined area, it can cause asphyxiation, kidney damage, or induced coma.

• The gas chamber jeopardizes the safety of shelter workers. In 2009, gas build-up caused the door of the Lincoln County, North Carolina to explode open; the incident put an animal control officer in the emergency room. In 2008, an explosion in the Iredell County, North Carolina Animal Services’ gas chamber revealed that, contrary to recommendations, the equipment in the vicinity of the chamber was not explosion proof.

SEE PUBLICATION FACT SHEET!

http://www.americanhumane.org/assets/docs/advocacy/ADV-ebi-factsheet.pdf

Most shelter workers wish to hold and comfort a frightened animal in its final moments of life. That act may be the only kindness the animal has ever known. In contrast, even with vigilant oversight, euthanizing any animal by means of a carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide gas chamber is inhumane to all animals, especially medium and large dogs, and is demoralizing to the shelter workers. Such outdated and cruel practices also create a public outcry and demean the very purpose of an animal shelter. Thirteen (13)  States banned gas chambers due to the animal cruelty, which animal welfare is part of Western culture.

There is nothing humane about a gas chamber. The animals know they are going to die. When they close the chamber, and the gas is turned on, you can hear the screams of agony and terror. The elderly and pregnant animals sometimes require several gas sessions before they die, for they cannot breathe the fumes as well. The suffering is agonizing as they convulse and usually choke to death on their own vomit.  The process of gassing takes 25 minutes per individual session-and not all die. I can't even imagine the suffering these poor creatures go through.

Some animals will fall into a coma and get buried alive on top of dead animals.

Please-for the love of God-please stop gassing animals to death. Also make heart stick illegal too as this is cruelty.